Toilet flush tank float valve



June 3, 1952 s. M. BENNETT 2,

TOILET FLUSH TANK FLOAT VALVE Filed May 31, 1950 12a J0 INVENTOR.

' p In arezzaifibeizzeai $9 ATTORNEYS Patented June 3, 1952 TOILET FLUSHTANK FLOAT VALVE Samuel Monroe Bennett, Brighton, 0010. Application May31, 1950, Serial No. 165,223

2 Claims.

This invention relates to float valves used primarily in flush tanks oftoilet bowls, although it may be used for various purposes, and inparticular flat disc of rubber or the like having a buoyant sectionmounted thereon and with the disc provided with an extension at one sideby which it may be held in position over the end of a pipe or the like.

The purpose of this invention is to provide a float valve for closingopen ends of vertically disposed pipes which is secured in position bythe Weight of liquid in an enclosure and which, when opened, closes witha retarded action with the closure element floating downwardly with theliquid level in the tank.

Various attempts have been made to improve valves of flush tanks and thelike to eliminate the inconvenience and waste caused by sticking valvesand where positive operating valves are provided the cost thereof isprohibitive for general use. With this thought in mind this inventioncontemplates a method of forming a comparatively simple and inexpensivevalve closure that remains in the position of closing the open end of apipe until it is manually or mechanically opened and that is retained inthe open position by a buoyant element until the liquid evel of anenclosure reaches the upper end of the pipe over which the valve ispositioned.

The object of this invention is, therefore, to provide means forconstructing a flapper action valve so that it may be used over openends of pipes and wherein the valve automatically drops to the closedposition as the liquid level in the enclosure on tank drops by theoutflow of the water therein.

Another object of the invention is to provide a flapper action valvethat may be incorporated in liquid containers and particularly flushtanks of toilet bowls now in use without changing the design orconstruction of the tanks.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved flapperaction valve for closing the upper ends of discharge pipes which is of asimple and economical construction.

With these and other objects and advantages in view the inventionembodies a disc of rubber or other flexible material having a buoyantsection secured thereto and having an extension at one side foranchoring the disc in operative position.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from thefollowing description taken in connection with the drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a vertical section through a part of a flush tank of atoilet bowl showing the flapper action valve in the closed position onthe discharge pipe of the tank.

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the valve in the open position.

Figure '3 is a plan view of the valve as shown in Figure 1 illustratingthe valve anchored to an overflow pipe and positioned upon the end of apipe.

Figure 4 is a view looking upwardly toward the under side of the valveshown in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a perspective view illustrating the valve as shown inFigures 1 and 2 and showing the valve in the inverted position.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference characters denotecorresponding parts the improved flapper action valve of this inventionincludes a disc ID of rubber or the like, a buoyant float section IIsecured to the under or top surface of the disc I0, an extension I2formed at one side of the disc and provided with a hub or collar l3, anda flexible cord [4 or the like by which the disc is attached to a flushlever l5.

The disc Iii, which may be formed of rubber or other flexible materialis positioned upon the upper end of an outwardly flared flange IS on theupper end of a discharge connection or drain pipe 11 and, with the partspositioned as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 the hub [3 of the flexibledisc, which is mounted in the extension I2, is positioned over anoverflow pipe or tube I8, which extends upwardly from a side connection[9 of a fitting 20 that extends through an opening 2| in a bottom 22 ofa tank 23. With the parts arranged in this manner the overflow pipe l8provides anchoring means for retaining the disc III in operativeposition on the upper end of the flange l6 and as the flush tank isactuated by a lever 24 that is pivotally mounted in the tank 23 by ashaft 25 so that it moves the flushing lever l5 upwardly, the cord [4,which is attached to the lever l5 through one of the opening 26 at theupper end and to the disc [0 through an opening 29 therein at the lowerend draws the disc to upwardly to the position shown in Figure 2.

After the valve has been actuated to the open position the buoyancy ofthe float I l holds the disc Ill upwardly until the liquid level dropsto the position indicated by the upper dotted line as indicated by thenumeral 38', in Figure 2-, and at this point the valve disc drops withthe water until the disc rests upon the upper end of the section l6 atwhich time the water arrives at the lower level as indicated by the line30 wherein the disc H) is positioned upon the upper edge of the flangel6.

The extension H! of the valve member I is provided with a centrallydisposed opening 3! which provides arms 32 and 33 at the sides so thatresiliency is obtained between the extension and disc.

The lower end of the cord M is attached to the 7 disc III by extendingthe cord through the opening 29 and forming a knot 34 in the lower endthereof. 'Ihe flush lever I- is pivotally mounted by a pin- 35" in aprojection 36 on=one side of the tank 23.

With the parts arranged in this manner the:

'weight of liquid in the tank willhold the disc I0 upon the u p r edgeof the muse re or the dis Charge pipe Hfland the disc will hold the: con

nection or pipe closed until it is moved upwardly from one edge of saidvalve member, resilient me'ar'iseonnecti-ng the valve member to thecollar, saidcolla'r' adapted to be placed over the overflow tube forpositioning the valve member on the drain pipe and adapted tofrictionally grip said overflow tube for anchoring the valve member inoperative position on the drain pipe, a float mounted on the undersurface of said valve member and positioned in the drain pipe with thevalve member resting upon the upper end of the pipe and means foractuating the valve member for'epefiing the drain pipe; from the ripperpart of the tank 2. A one piece valve for use in toilet bowl flush tanksas described in claim 1 wherein the resilient means connecting thecollar to the valve member comprises spaced arms of resilient materialwith cutout portions between the arms and said arms,. valve member, andcollar being integr'al'.

SAMUEL MONROE BENNETT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record ml the fileofthis patent:

UNITED STATES Number w Name Date 235,747 Corliss V Dec. 21,1836

909,789 Hawks Jan. 12;,

1,223,534 Toman Apr; 24,1917 1,925,748 COIVi fi Sept. 5, I933

